Work 1965

Jiro Yoshihara made this untitled work with oil on canvas, at some point in his career. This isn't a perfectly neat circle, is it? More like a handmade gesture, a starting point. You can really see the mark-making here. The paint has real presence, it feels thick, almost velvety, and you can see little drips where the artist has worked. The contrast between the solid black and the bare canvas is really striking. It’s not about hiding the process, it’s all about the process. This one simple shape becomes kind of profound, in the way it holds itself on the canvas. Look at the slight imperfections, the wobble in the line, the way it almost – but doesn’t quite – meet. For me, this circle echoes the work of Cy Twombly, with its emphasis on the handmade mark, and its embrace of imperfection. It's a reminder that art doesn't always have to be about answers; sometimes, it's about asking the right questions, and leaving space for multiple interpretations.